The Saket court in New Delhi has ordered framing of charges against former TERI executive vice-chairman RK Pachauri, reported India Today. The environmentalist is facing sexual harassment. He is facing sexual harassment allegations by a former female colleague, a research assistant in 2015.

"Pachauri has also been accused of stalking and insulting the victim's modesty," the report adds. It mentions, "The Saket court has asked the charges to be framed under Section 354 (outraging modesty of a woman), Section 354A (sexual harassment) and Section 509 (words used to outrage the modesty of a woman). The court will next hear the case on October 20."

TERI, the energy and resources institute, "had sent Pachauri on an indefinite leave in 2016 following which Ajay Mathur was appointed as the new director general of the Delhi-based research institute." NDTV reported that Pachauri headed the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change from 2002. He resigned in 2015 due to sexual harassment allegations.

News 18 reported that the "complainant expressed satisfaction over the development." She added that is relieved as it is a big leap of faith. "This has not been easy at all. It's been a long wait." It adds that earlier this year, another court had dismissed a suit by Pachauri. He had urged the court to "stop media from reporting anything other than court proceeding."

RK Pachauri

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